How about all the above? Irving Klaws play an inspired blend of garage-y rock, surf's up fun and psychobilly-tinged rave-ups that wallow in sex, albeit in a slyly suggestive way they dub "pervasonic."

Fans of such bands as the Fleshtones, the Cynics, Southern Culture on the Skids and especially the Cramps will devour songs like "Revenge of the Demon Tarts," "Loveslide," "Teenage Heat" and "The Kinkwink." Irving Klaws have a vaguely '60s sound, but raw and ramped up.

"For us, Irving Klaws are about rock and roll, man," says lead singer and guitarist David Gutierrez. "We do sing about some heavy stuff, but it's about having fun for us. We just want everyone to have a good time for the time we're playing. We want it to be like a party and want you to forget about your mortgage and your ex-girlfriend."

Irving Klaws in late 2012 issued "Demon Tarts," their first album in more than a decade, and it proves they haven't lost a fuzz-toned psychotic step. With just three players -- including wild stand-up bassist Rob Peltier and drummer Bob Hanley -- they whip up furious fun with punk urgency.

"Our original goal, when we started 17 years ago, was 'Imagine if the stand-up bass never left rock and roll, all the way up to now,'" Gutierrez said. "Some say we have elements of punk or garage or even psychedelic, but it's all in the realm of rock 'n' roll.

"Having the stand-up, people seem to have to peg it as rockabilly, which is a shame. I've got nothing against rockabilly; I love it. But (stand-up bass) can be used for any kind of material."

Growing up, Gutierrez loved the Who, but later at flea markets unearthed records by T Rex, the Velvet Underground, Gene Vincent and the Cramps.

"Certainly, for me, the Cramps was a big one," he said. "Technically, the Cramps are almost a cover band in a way they steal from so many things and make it their own. Because of that, it got me to dig all kinds of music I would otherwise never know."

He was thrilled when Irving Klaws opened twice for the Cramps at Buffalo's Town Ballroom.

"That was definitely a highlight of my musical career, personally," he said. "I mean they're in my top five, for sure. They were real gracious and unbelievably nice people."

In August, Irving Klaws will mark their 17th anniversary.

"It's just weird to think about," Gutierrez said. "I know people with kids who are 17 now. It's a pretty bizarre thing. But we still have fun with it, so we just keep doing it."